Improvement in earth-boring machinery



W. K.'MILLER.

EARTH-BORING MACHINERY.

No.181,587. Patented Aug.29,1876.

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PATENT- W ILLIAM K. MILLER, OF BIRMINGHAM, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN EARTH-BORING MACHINERY.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [81,587, dated August29, 1876; application filed February 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM K. MILLER, of Birmingham, in the county ofVan Enron and State of Iowa, have invented certain Im-.

provements in Well- Boring Machinery, of which the following is aspecification:

The object of my invention is to facilitate the operation of a rotatingauger and a sliding bucket on one and the same shaft, and by means ofone and the same sweeping-beam, and thereby economize time and labor inmaking a well. It consist, first, in a device for adjusting andretaining the sweeping-beam on the shaft, in such a manner that the beamcan be alternately operated to rotate the auger and to elevate earthwith the bucket; second, in a device for automatically locking thebucket to the bottom of the shaft, in such a manner that it will berigidly connected with the auger while the anger is in motion, andreadily unlocked by the force applied to lift the bucket all ashereinafter fully set forth.

My drawing is a perspective view illustrating the construction,application, and operation of my invention.

A is the shaft, supported in its vertical position by a suitable frameor derrick, as indicated by the figure in broken lines. B is a slidingblock on the top end of the shaft. 0 is a weighted eccentric, pivoted ina slot in the side of the block B, in such a manner that it will engageand gripe the shaft A by force of gravity. The weighted outside end ofthe eccentric will hold the eccentric in proper position, and the weightof the block B and its connections constitute the gripin g power. A

corresponding eccentric may be fitted in the opposite side of the block.D is a crane or lever-bearer, connected with the sliding block B in sucha manner that it will revolve around the block and the shaft, when theshaft is stationary and the sweeping-beam is operated to raise and lowerthe bucket. G is the adjustable sweepiug-beam on the shaft A, andsuspended by means of a lever and fulcrum to the revolving bearer D. ais an anti-friction roller on the end of the beam G, designed to bearagainst the shaft A, and facilitate the raising and lowering of thebeam. H is a hand-lever, linked or swiveled to the beam G at a pointnear the shaft A. J is a fulcrum of the lever H, pivoted to and pendentfrom the revolving bearer D. By bearing down the free end of the lever Hthe beam G can be hoisted and disconnected from the mechanism fixed uponthe derrick, and employed to raise and lower the bucket by power appliedthrough the sweeping-beam. The weight of the free end of the beam willcause it to bind on the shaft, and prevent it from falling back; andwhen the sweeping-beam is connected and in gear with thebucket-operating mechanism the block B can be hoisted on the shaft inadvance of the beam, and preliminary tothe hoisting of the beam, bybearing up the free end of the lever H. The eccentric G will alwaysallow an upward movement, and will instantly lock and retain the blockat any point Where it is allowed to rest. Complete provision is thusmade for disconnecting the beam from the bucket, and rigidly fixingit tothe shaft. To free the beam from the shaft, lift the weighted end of theeccentric O, and the block B will drop and carry along the beam G to thepoint where the shaft is rounded and free to turn in the square mortiseof the beam; or the block B may remain stationary and the beam G loweredon the shaft by simply raising the front and free end of the beam. Krepresents the bucket, designed to slide up and down on the shaft A. Lis a sleeve, having lateral arms at its base, rigidly connected with thetop of the bucket. b isa collar on the sleeve L, allowed vertical playonly. 0 is a rotating collar, carried by the vertically-moving collar b.D is a bucket-handle, linked to the ears of the collar 0. fis a rope,connected with the handle d and the bucket-elevating mechanism mountedupon the derrick. g is a guard, carried by the collar 0, to prevent thehandle cl and rope f from coming into contact with the rotating auger. kis a pawl, pivoted in a slot or cavity in the arm of the sleeve L, insuch a manner that its free end will fall against the shaft A and lockthe bucket rigidly to the shaft, to prevent it from rising while theanger is in motion. m is a link, connecting the pawl 7a with thevertical-moving collar 1). A corresponding link and pawl may be used onthe opposite side.

When power is applied to the rope f to elevate the bucket, the collar 11is lifted first suf- Error.

fieiently to free the pawl 7: from the shaft A by means of theconnecting-link m.

A simple automatic deviceis thus provided for keeping the bucket in itsproper place relative to the auger while the anger is in operation atthe bottom of the bore.

I claim as my invention- 1. In well-boring machinery, the sliding blockB on the shaft A, carrying the eccentric G, the rotating bearer D, thepivoted and pendent fulcrum J, and the suspended 1ever H, in combination,with the adjustable sweeping-beam G, substantially as and for thepurposes shown and described.

2. The sliding sleeve L on the shaft A, carrying the vertical-movingcollar b, the rotating collar 0, the link m, and the pivoted pawl k,substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.

WILLIAM KELLER MILLER.

Witnesses DENNIS SMITH, GEo. '1. WILSON.

